A Lost Legacy
by somebody101
Summary: The New Republic is thriving. However, when the Force begins to change, and a shadow clouds the vision of the Jedi, chaos begins to spread. Han and Leia find themselves searching for the answer to the mystery before it's too late.
1. Rise of a Demon

**A Lost Legacy**

Chapter One: Rise of a Demon

* * *

She stood resolutely staring at the podium that would soon raise her up into the great arena overhead. The sounds of countless voices echoed down into the large chambers in which she stood, but she found herself easily blocking out the meaningless noise as she focused on what she was going to say.

Winter silently ensured that the President of the New Republic appeared flawless, and she gently readjusted the shimmering white cloak that rose to just beneath her bare shoulders so that it was even. She offered her childhood friend a warm smile.

"You always were more beautiful." Leia finally broke the silence as she smiled with amusement as her friend made sure her appearance was impeccable.

"Not at all M'Lady. I never was one for politics. That arena is your place, not mine."

"You're lucky, Winter, had any of the diplomats on Alderaan not been corrected and told I was the Princess you'd be in my position."

"If you were not strong enough to face the Senators you would not have lasted this long as President. Now, you need one final touch." She smiled warmly as she held out a small container, and she gracefully removed an expensive looking necklace made from a rare Alderaanian crystal.

"I… where did you get this? It's… beautiful…" She whispered as she felt the other's hands clasp it firmly in place around her neck.

"I was told to give it to you when you needed it most. I was bidden to keep it from you, but I believe that now is quite an appropriate time. I was also supposed to give you a message. It is from your husband."

Leia offered her another smile, but her attention was suddenly drawn to the door as it slid open.

"I'm not sure I've ever seen you appear so breathtaking. Maybe I'm just not ready to let go of that fiery young Princess…"

"Eventually we all have to grow up." Leia smiled as she quickly kissed her husband.

"Sometimes I wish we could leave this all behind us…"

"What would you do without the excitement? Without the adventure?"

"Hmm… it's called relaxation…"

"Yeah, right. We both know you'd hate sitting around the rest of your life… not having anyone to chase after… not having any battles to win."

"I suppose you're right… but I think you have quite a few beings waiting for you."

"It's time." Winter confirmed in her simple tone as she reminded the two of the events that were about to unfold in the vast arena above.

"I love you, Leia. More than life itself…" Han whispered as he kissed her gently before turning to leave.

"Han… I love you too."

"I know. Now, go on… and may the force be with you… 'cause you're going to need all the help you can get…" He smiled at her before he turned and left the chamber securing the door silently behind him.

* * *

Leia stood resolutely in the middle of the podium. She heard the loud noise of the endless sea of senators clearly as the ceiling to the antechamber opened in silence. Her eyes scanned over the mass of beings that were waiting for _her_. And as soon as they appeared the senate arena vanished.

* * *

_The shimmering reflections of the pristine panels suggested that the ship was not only well maintained, but also of high importance. The graceful curves gave it an aesthetic feel unmatched by few other ships in the galaxy. It stood in stark contrast against the heartless lava that soared high into the sky before falling back into the raging red river below the landing platform. Two lone figures stood alone, their bodies clear outlines against the dark sky. It was a few moments before their voices _

"_Oh, Anakin, he said such terrible things about you!"_

"_About me? Who would want to say bad things about me? Who would dare?"_

"_Obi-Wan. He said- he told me you turned to the dark side, that you murdered Jedi… even younglings…"_

"_Obi-Wan's alive?"_

"_Y-yes-- he, he said he was looking for you…"_

_The pain in the woman's eyes was evident. Tears fell freely as she tried to find any remnant of the young man's soul. Nothing could comfort the anguish of finding nothing but seething hatred. _

"_Did you tell him where I am?"_

"_No, Anakin, he wants to kill you. I didn't tell him anything-- I wouldn't!"_

"_Too bad."_

"_Anakin, what-"_

"_He's a traitor, Padmé. He's an enemy of the state. He has to die."_

"_Stop it, stop talking like that… you're frightening me!" Her voice rose, as his grew deeper, and more full of hatred. The woman's voice was nothing but that of despair, and shattered hope._

"_You're not the one who needs to be afraid."_

"_It's like- it's like- I don't even know who you are anymore…"_

"_I'm the man who loves you, I'm the man who would do anything to protect you. Everything I have done, I have done for you."_

_The horror of his comments immediately sunk in and her response was no less desperate, "Anakin, what have you done?"_

"_What I have done is bring peace to the Republic."_

"_The Republic is dead, you killed it. You and Palpatine."_

"_It needed to die."_

_More tears fell as she heard what he was saying against her will. She was slowly being crushed by what had happened to the man she had clearly loved so deeply. "Anakin, can't we just… go? Please. Let's leave. Together. Today. Now. We can return to Naboo. Before you- before something happens-"_

"_Nothing will happen. Nothing can happen. Let Palpatine call himself Emperor. Let him. He can do the dirty work, all the messy, brutal oppression it'll take to unite the galaxy forever- unite it against him. He'll make himself into the most hated man in history. And when the time is right, we'll throw him down-"_

"_Anakin, stop-"_

"_Don't you see? We'll be heroes. The whole galaxy will love us, and we will rule. Together."_

"_Please, stop- Anakin, please, stop, I can't stand it…"_

"_You…" There was no mistaking the fury in his voice, but it was no longer directed at the woman standing beside him._

"_Padmé, move away from him."_

"_Obi-Wan? No!"_

"_You, you brought him here…" Now the rage in his voice was aimed at her, and she trembled even more from the stress. Tears flowed freely as she grew more anxious, clearly needing the man she had loved to be there for her._

"_Anakin?" Her voice wavered with the slight question. She didn't know who this enraged human before her truly was. She didn't know what had happened to create the monster standing before her._

"_I would thank you for this, were it a gift of love."_

"_No, Anakin- no…"_

"_Palpatine was right. Sometimes it is the closest who cannot see. I loved you too much, Padmé." Suddenly his hand was extended into the air, and her entire body was lifted from the ground. Slender, gentle hands hopelessly clawed her neck, but there was nothing to grab hold of. Air was slowly pushed from her body as she tried to saw 'I love you' one last time._

""_Let her go, Anakin." The voice was stern, and even a hint of fear could be heard as he watched the woman slowly suffocating._

"_Never!" _

"_Let her go, Anakin!" the threat in his words was not veiled, and he reached for the shimmering handle of his weapon._

"_You will not take her from me!" But as he said it he allowed her body to crumble down against the cold, heartless stone of the landing platform. The two circled around the landing platform until it was safe for the Jedi to check her pulse_

"_Anakin- Anakin, what have you done?"_

"_You turned her against me." His breathing was erratic, and his brows were furrowed in pure wrath. His eyes that had before been blue burned yellow and orange, just like the flames of lava that spewed forth into the night sky._

"_You did that yourself."_

"_I'll give you a chance, Obi-Wan. For old times' sake. Walk away."_

"_If only I could."_

"_Go some place out of the way. Retire. Meditate. That's what you like, isn't it? You don't have to fight for peace anymore. Peace is here. My Empire is peace."_

"_Your Empire? I will never have peace. It was founded on treachery and innocent blood!" His voice answered in shock at what he was hearing. This was not the man he knew; that man had clearly been destroyed by some monster._

"_Don't make me kill you, Obi-Wan. If you are not with me, you are against me."_

"_Only Sith deal in absolutes, Anakin. The truth is never black and white. Let me take Padmé to a medcenter. She's hurt, Anakin. She needs medical attention."_

"_She stays."_

"_Anakin-"_

"_You don't get to take her anywhere. You don't get to touch her. She's mine, do you understand? It's your fault, all of it- you made her betray me!"_

"_Anakin-" He was stopped at the sight of a long, blue blade flashed out, a source of light against the darkening sky. With slight hesitation he pulled his own lightsaber free, and the two blades remained motionless, silhouetted against the black and fiery red background. He knew there were to be no more words of meaning, and prepared himself for a fight that should never have had to happen. "I will do what I must."_

"_You will try."_

_Soon they were swinging their blades back and forth, their attacks swifter than any that had been seen in a millennia. He knew that his friend was gone, replaced by some horrifyingly powerful demon. Each time their blades clashed he couldn't help but notice that, while Anakin was clearly dead, he still wasn't just facing a Sithlord. No, if he were, his blue blade would be clashing with a red one, that matched the empty hatred of the lava.

* * *

_

Suddenly she was back in the Senate Arena. The great pedestal, still carrying her upwards into the center of the room, beneath the great transparisteel dome. Her mind raced to try to understand what she had just seen. The two men fighting in a fierce battle of wills, until one had made a foolish move, and ended up losing an arm and both legs. It was then that the names returned to her, the realization of what she had just seen dawning on her. _The death of my mother, Anakin's fall… Obi-Wan having to face the monster that was Darth Vader all alone.

* * *

_

Nothing stirred in the bushes where the pyre still stood. The terrifying black mask was all that remained of the ashes of a redeemed man. No living creature ever ventured close, except for Luke Skywalker, and his sister. Now another being stood in the clearing; a being who had long ago discovered how to manipulate midi-chlorians to create life. He stood, with a dark hood covering a face that hadn't been seen for countless decades. As he stood in the clearing a dark ball began to form over the black mask. It grew larger as it sucked in more light from the surrounding dusk. There was not a single sound on the forest moon of Endor as the ball of pure darkness continued to grow.

* * *

Han carefully entered the Millenium Falcon. He was greeted only by silence, a silence that was there because of the loss of a beloved friend, and his own son. Tears flooded his eyes as he remembered how he had left Leia and the twins, and somehow had ended up stranded on some strange planet, in a run down cantina.

_The man was clearly the one he had heard of. He had followed the Millenium Falcon for the past four weeks, wondering in bitterness why the man had left his family behind._

_Han slowly looked up at the man who sat across from him. He was wearing a dark, frayed cloak, but the neatly trimmed beard that showed from beneath the hood hinted that this man was no hermit. Curiosity got the best of the man who was trying to forget the pain within him. Anakin, his beloved son, was dead, as was his closest friend, Chewbacca. Both had been killed by the ruthless Yuuzhan Vong when they had invaded the New Republic._

"_Why do you sit here, in pity and mourning for the dead, while those that love you are beginning to waste away?"_

"_What would you know about it?"_

"_I know what it is like to lose a loved one; I lost a daughter, long ago. I tried to save her, but I failed, and I have no hope of seeing her again. Do not let go of the ones you love, and those who love you in return, for that pain is even greater when they are still alive."_

"_You don't know how hard this is, you can't know."_

"_Your wife needs you now, more than ever Admiral Solo. As do your remaining children. Do not let them down."_

"_How- how do you know my name?"_

"_I know much about you, Admiral, even more about your family."_

"_Why should I listen to you?"_

"_Because I have always cared for your wife, though you do not know me, I was close to Leia, long ago. Then she became a Senator, and joined the Rebellion. I have already paid for your ship's needed repairs, and it is ready to take you back to Coruscant."_

"_How can I face them, it was my fault?"_

"_Leia would not hold the death of your son and friend against you. She loves you more deeply than you shall ever know."_

"_I know, you are right, but it's just so hard."_

"_It is always hard, losing a child, but you will find a way through it. You will get through this."_

"_Yeah, I guess I ought to leave now, I can't describe how much I miss seeing her."_

"_I miss her as well. I wish for you to give this to her, it is a rare crystal, you should reserve it for a time when she needs it most."_

"_Who should I say it's from?"_

"_It is from you, and you shall tell her as much. I must only ask, that you tell her nothing of me. It would do no one any good, and could only bring more pain to your family."_

Han smiled, he had found several valuable, breathtaking paintings of Aldera on his ship as well as a painting of an unknown palace. That was one he admired most, and he was almost certain it wasn't a real building. The peaceful appearance of the red marble stones, and soft, turquoise domes that stood serenely atop a mighty cliff, and surrounded by roaring waterfalls and tall luscious trees. He still wondered about the man who had given him such a strange array of gifts, but he could think of no one that it could've been.

* * *

"Rise, Lord Vader. Rise, and fulfill thy destiny to destroy the Jedi."

Suddenly the black orb engulfed the mask, and after another few moments the black orb was gone, leaving behind what had once been a valiant Jedi, who was now clad in dark black armor, and a flowing cape that seemed to suck in light. Once more the terrifying breath was filtered through the hideous mask.

"Where am I?"

"You are on the forest moon of Endor. I, have taken it upon myself to bring you to life once more through the midi-chlorians that all beings are made of."

"Where is my son?"

"I have yet to locate Skywalker, but your daughter, in her insolence, has rebuilt the Republic, and recreated the Senate. It is your _duty_ to destroy this insurrection at once, and to restore the rightful power to _your_ Empire. The New Republic must _fall_."

* * *

"Senators of the New Republic, we are still in need of each others' friendship, for our difficulties have not yet ended. We are still at war, with the ever dangerous threat of the Imperials, and we must continue our efforts to rebuild what we hold dear. Many lives were destroyed by our enemies. Many homes and cities were crushed and ravaged."

She paused dramatically, and pleased with the silence she continued, "The New Republic shall _not_ falter now. Not now that we have fought for our entire lives to gain our freedom. We will fight, and we will stand strong! For every home they destroy let us build ten more!"

Cheers erupted as many Senators clapped, however, the clear sounds of booing struck at Leia's heart. She knew, deep down, that some would always oppose what she said, but she also knew that they had the right to share their voice. There was nothing she could do to quell that voice, and if she tried, she would have found herself to be no better than the late Emperor Palpatine.

* * *

"High Admiral Carresan!" Her head turned slightly to the side to acknowledge the ensign who was running quickly towards her. Everyone knew how hard it had been for her to reach her position, and while many who did not know her said it was because of her looks, those that knew her knew she was not someone they would ever wish to fight in a battle. Her intense brown eyes watched the young man as he carefully handed her a report. She was wearing a white jumpsuit, with beige, sleeveless tunic that bore the insignias of her status as High Admiral of the 1st Royal Navy of the New Republic. Her dark brown hair fell in slight curls gracefully down her back as she confidently looked over the report.

"Thank you, for your prompt delivery of the status report on our fighters. You may return to your post." She dismissed him with a slight nod, before turning around to look back out the viewport of the bridge.

The Vanquisher was the capital ship of the entire New Republic army. Few ships could match its size, let alone its firepower. It was nearly twice as large as a Super Star Destroyer, yet it could maneuver just as easily. Santé Carresan watched as another squadron of X-Wings flew in formation above the front hull of her ship. Everyone on the bridge jumped when they saw something slam harmlessly against the shields of the ship.

"Gantarri, locate where that shot came from, have Alpha Squadron land immediately, and send out Delta Squadron to investigate. We're going into evasive maneuvers until we locate where that blast came from!"

Olan Gantarri immediately scanned the radar screen before him, searching for any sign of where the blast has come from.

"Admiral! We have numerous TIE Fighter Squadrons approaching along with a single Star Destroyer. They just came out of lightspeed, and are heading right for us!"

"All, right, let's use caution, I want a warning sent to the rest of the fleet, as well as to President Solo, and the other fleets in the immediate area. Now, send out Delta, and Theta Squadron immediately."

"What about the Bravo Squadron?"

"I don't want to take chances just yet, Commander Gantarri, these TIE Fighters came from another ship, and my guess is that there is a whole force of Star Destroyers just about to arrive. We just don't know where, and until we do, I don't want all of our fighters caught in a trap."

"Yes, Admiral, consider it done." He turned and relayed the orders through the com-link systems. His voice immediately echoing through the various halls and decks.

"All crews to battle stations, moving into maneuvering position now, all crews to their respective flight decks. This is _not_ a drill, repeat, all crews to their battle stations, we are under attack."

Just as she had predicted dozens of Star Destroyers emerged from lightspeed rather close to The Vanquisher, but by the time they had arrived more cruisers had arrived for backup. Shots flew back and forth as more ships joined the fray, while various freighters and cruise ships did their best to maneuver around the fast firing blasts.

"Alright, send out Alpha Squadron, they're mission right now is to protect as many civilians as possible, and to take out as many TIE Fighters as possible. I want Theta and Delta Squadrons keeping those Fighters away from our own ships, and send out Bravo and Echo Squadrons to start taking out those Star Destroyers. Also, have those two Blockade Runners get themselves positioned just below, and to the side of those two closest Star Destroyers, and have them focus their firepower on the bottom Shield Generators!"

"Admiral, we have contacted Admiral Solo, and he wants to know what's happening up here!"

"Then inform him! You may tell him that I'm currently unavailable, I'm sure he will be quite understanding." She returned her focus immediately back to the battle taking place outside the massive viewports. "Have those Mon Calamari Cruisers move closer to that Star Destroyer, and have a squad of B-Wings help take it down!"

"Admiral, we have several Star Destroyers heading towards the planet!"

"Why would they attempt that? Surely they know it's suicide… unless… I want Bravo Squadron and Delta Squadron to go after those Star Destroyers! I'm guessing they have some special device that'll get them through that shield."

"Admiral, that's hardly likely…"

"When you're going up against our fleets and attacking someone's capital you _don't_ send your ships on a suicide mission. Now, I need you to contact the main hangars on Coruscant, and tell them to get all the ships and fighters they can spare off the ground in case those Destroyers make it past the shields!"

"Consider it done, Admiral. The Senate is in session now, should we alert them to evacuate the Arena? It would be a prime target for the Imperials to try and destroy."

"Yes, we need to make contact with the President and alert her to the situation if she hasn't been already. Once you're done with that, I want a message sent to the Jedi Temple on Yavin IV to alert the Jedi to this attack."

"Right away."

Carresan watched solemnly as one of the five Star Destroyers heading towards the planetary shield exploded in a massive flash of brilliant white and orange light. "They need to move faster, I want Theta Squadron to split up, have half of them get over there to help finish off those Star Destroyers, we can't have them get through those shields!"

"Admiral, Echo Leader reports that there may be a Super Star Destroyer nearby, but he couldn't verify it."

"Well, it's not in the battle yet, but I want everyone on alert in case it does decide to join this battle."

"Copy that Admiral, and the transmission has been sent to President Solo, as well as a message to Master Skywalker."

"Good, now let's focus our starboard firepower on that Star Destroyer's bridge, and see if they can withstand our firepower. Are Helix and Cipher Squadrons back yet?"

"No, but we have them on our scanners in Sector 6, they should be here soon."

"Good, now, I want a visual to see if there really is a Super Star Destroyer in the vicinity."

"Right away, Admiral."

* * *

Leia raised both hands for silence, and after a few moments it was quiet enough within the Arena for her to clearly hear the transmission. She bit her lip, before turning her attention back to the thousands of gathered Senators.

"Senators, I have just received disturbing news; the Imperials have mounted an assault on Coruscant. How they managed to get past our sensors is unknown as of yet, and the 1st Royal Navy is currently engaging the enemy. Reports are looking good at the moment, but for matters of safety and security, this session must be cut short, and the Senate building must hereby be evacuated until the battle is over. We will reconvene soon, but for your safety we will be evacuating the building now, so if you would all, please cooperate we can do this quickly, effectively and quite painlessly."

* * *

"Admiral! Those Star Destroyers are at the Planetary shield!"

"Take the last three out now! I want them stopped!"

"They're sending four more Destroyers in that direction…"

"What in the hell is that thing that heading towards the shield?"

"I don't know, but order Bravo Squadron to take it out now! Then have Helix and Cipher squadron move down past the shield and have them waiting in case they do get through the shield."

* * *

"This is Bravo Leader, we have a new target. We should be confirming visual on the ship they want us to take out momentarily."

"Roger that Bravo Leader."

"Alright, Bravo Two, loosen formation, Bravos Four and Five I want you two covering our backs in case any Fighters come along."

"Roger that Bravo Leader."

"There's our target, that odd shaped ship heading right towards the shield."

"What is it doing?"

"I'm betting it's got some device on it that will short out the shield long enough for these Star Destroyers to get into the atmosphere and reek havoc on Coruscant. Now, I'll move in first, I want everyone locked onto that ship with their targeting computers unless you're covering the others."

"Proton Torpedoes ready to fire, Bravo Leader."

"It's almost in my range, firing four Proton Torpedoes." They watched as the four missiles headed straight for the ship. "Come on, come on, take it down…" he whispered a TIE Fighter sacrificed itself and took out one of his missiles. He swore quietly when the last three hit the ship only to explode harmlessly against its shields. "Alright, Bravos Two and Three, your turn, hit it with everything you've got. If they don't finish it off then Bravos Six and Eight move in. After your strike run you immediately pull back to cover the others making their runs."

"Roger that Bravo Leader, we're moving in now."

* * *

As soon as he had heard the report from The Vanquisher on the battle above he found himself behind the pilot's seat of the Millenium Falcon and heading straight towards the Senate Arena. Han Solo had already lost two loved ones, and there was no chance that he wasn't going to make sure Leia was safe and secure before helping with the battle far above.

Leia sighed as she waited for the podium to begin its descent back down into the antechamber and she the Senators leaving the Arena with only the slight mumbling of protest reaching her ears. The images of the woman she had seen in her vision lingered in her memory, the name Naboo permanently etched into her mind.

"Alright, regroup, we're going to make another run at this damn ship! Bravos Two and Three, you're making the first run with me, once it's in range hit it with everything you've got!"

"Bravo leader, we've got Interceptors heading our way!"

"Damn, pull back. Command, we need back up here!"

"Have Echo Squadron get there now, make sure they take that ship out!"

* * *

"Admiral, Bravo Leader confirmed that at least twenty Proton Torpedoes hit that ship, and didn't even scratch its hull."

"Get some B-Wings there then!"

"Admiral!" Gantarri called from across the deck, "We just lost all reading on the Planetary Shield!"

"Damn it, tell Bravo Squadron to refocus their efforts of those Star Destroyers! Are Cipher and Helix Squadrons in position?"

"Yes, Admiral, they're in Sector 8 right now, and they're moving into position to intercept the Star Destroyers."

"That's too close to Sector 1. We need keep them from getting any farther."

"Alright, Bravo Leader, what's the plan of action?"

"Those Star Destroyers are our primary target again, if they reach the Senate Arena in Sector 1 they could reek havoc. Echo Squadron is on their way, and Helix and Cipher Squadrons are moving into position to help us out as well."

"Any word on Rogue Squadron?"

"Not yet, but I suspect we'll be seeing Wedge and his gang around soon. Let's just take these Star Destroyers down before they can cause too much damage."

* * *

Han watched in horror as the Star Destroyers began their race towards the Capital. He immediately increased the speed, and silently prayed that Leia wasn't still within the Senate Arena. "Come on, baby, you gotta move faster. She needs us…"

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *


	2. Revealing a Demon

**A Lost Legacy**

Chapter 2: Revealing A Demon

* * *

"Bravo Four, make a run for the bridge, and take that Star Destroyer down now!"

"Roger that Bravo Leader. Moving into attack position."

"Bravos Five and Six, cover him!"

"Copy that Bravo Leader. We're coming about now. Watch out Bravo Eight, you've got an interceptor trying to close in on you!"

"I got it, don't worry Bravo Eight I'll have this interceptor out of commission in no time."

"Admiral, they're approaching Sector 3!"

"I want those Star Destroyers taken down now! And is there any word about the planetary shield?"

"Sorry, Admiral, but we cannot find any reason for it to have shut down. And it has yet to be restored."

"Ok, then I want ourselves positioned just above Sector 2, so that we can try to intercept them. Also, I want to know where that unidentified ship is, and I want it either destroyed or captured."

"Right away Admiral."

* * *

It had taken Rilys Enthyr only two years to become leader of Bravo Squadron, and his skills were nearly unmatched. He could fly any ship with skill, but excelled in a sturdy fighter. Which was the very reason he found himself flying straight down towards a Star Destroyer firing rapidly to destroy one of the shield generators.

* * *

"Luke, what's wrong?"

"There's been an attack on Coruscant. I'm going to be taking several Jedi with me to try and help out, but I'm sure the fight will be over before we can even get halfway there."

"I'm going with you."

"No, Mara, you are needed here…"

"Luke, the temple will be fine without me. There _are_ other Jedi capable of ensuring that everything functions as it should."

"Listen, I… I had a premonition."

"What was it of?" the concern in her voice was clear, and she placed her hand on his shoulder for further emphasize.

"There was a white light, replaced by a strange city on a cliff. I've never seen pictures of such a city before, and when I searched the databases we've recovered I found nothing that could be even close to it…" he stopped, and the Jedi standing opposite of him immediately sensed his hesitation.

"What more is there, Luke?"

"The light returned, but it was dimmed by a dark cloud, and then I saw the city of Aldera, but it wasn't the same as it was in the paintings Han gave to Leia, it wasn't the same as the databases show. And then I sensed someone, someone who died long ago."

"I can see that you already know who it is."

"I-I only feel something, shrouded in shadows. The dark side is growing stronger, Mara. I cannot see as clearly as I should. I only sense a darkness that I sensed only when in the presence of Emperor Palpatine, or Vader."

"What do you believe it means?"

"Mara, what if the Emperor didn't die on the Death Star? I saw him fall, and afterwards the Force was clearer than ever before, yet… I survived falling from the central core of Cloud City. I can't think of another plausible answer. He must be alive. If it were my father I would be able to sense him more clearly, and he turned back to the light; gave up the darkness before he died."

"Then that settles it. I'm taking you to Coruscant; I believe you may find your answers there."

"No, Mara, you are needed here."

"Luke, do you know nothing about me, your own wife? You cannot do this alone, and you cannot meditate on this if you're trying to pilot a ship. I suggest we leave soon, any more time debating this will only be time wasted."

* * *

"M'Lady, I'll head to the Control Center to see about restoring power to the building."

"Be careful, Winter, something is clouding the force, I cannot see clearly, but something is amiss. Use caution, and move quickly."

"I will, M'Lady, be careful, and may the Force be with you." With that she turned and was gone down one of the corridors, lit only by the dim lights powered by the emergency backup system.

Leia waited for a moment before calling her lightsaber to her hand with the force. She watched it fly gracefully from inside a secret pocket within her dress; she never wore it in plain sight in order to keep various politicians at ease. At the moment she felt much more at ease knowing she was armed, and not defenseless.

* * *

"Any readings from the planetary shield?"

"We have received a transmission from the planet, Admiral, and they wish to assure you that they are doing their best to restore the shield."

"Alright, are we almost in position to cut those Star Destroyers off?"

"We're nearing Sector 3 now."

"Good, I want a status report on the battle."

"Here is the current report of lost ships, it's one hell of a battle."

"Any word from Rogue Squadron?"

"We haven't missed the party yet have we, Santé?"

"Good to hear from Wedge; we've been better."

"I heard, how many Star Destroyersare within the atmosphere now?"

"We've taken two down already, but there are still three heading towards the Senate Arena."

"How in the hell did they get past the planetary shield?"

"We're still investigating that; we believe they used a ship that we've never seen before to somehow wipe the shield out."

"Damn, when will they ever stop?"

"They'll stop when we have eradicated all their ships."

"Right, where are we needed?"

"You're needed most to help intercept those Star Destroyers, there are still four heading for the capital. Bravo, Cipher, and Helix Squadrons are all down there now. We're positioning ourselves in Sector 3 in an attempt to further stall their progression."

"Alright, I'll go find Rilys and let him know we're here to help."

"May the Force be with you, Wedge."

"Yeah, same to you, Santé. Be careful will ya? After all, you _are_ flying the most expensive ship in the galaxy aside from the Death Star."

"It'll take more than those Star Destroyers to take us out, just don't get yourselves killed, the New Republic needs you."

* * *

"Leia! I can't tell you how happy I am that you're ok."

"That's surprising, seeing that you're not my husband." She had barely spoken the words when she whirled around, the golden yellow blade of her lightsaber illuminating the darkness. She watched the being that looked exactly like her husband, but all she could sense in the force was darkness. _No, this isn't Han. You know the dark side has never been able to cloud his love. The darkness can never shroud love._

"Wha- what are talking about, Leia? Of course it's me!"

"Then why do I only sense the dark cloud of the Sith when you're standing so close? Why can I not feel your love for myself, for others emitting from within you?" Her eyes pierced those of the perfect replica of her husband like daggers, "Whomever you are, you cannot fool me with your mere disguises."

"So be it." Came the deep, booming voice, and Leia jumped back in confusion as her husband dissipated into a black cloud. She held up her blade in an attempt to fight off the darkness, and it wasn't until she saw the figure cloaked in black standing before her that she lowered her blade into a defensive position, waiting for the other to strike.

She hardly had time to register the appearance of the crimson blade before she had jumped to the side, easily parrying off the attack. Her eyes searched for an easy way out of the halls to a room more suited for such a fight. While they were spacious enough for senators of thousands of star systems to pass through with ease, she knew that there wouldn't be much room to maneuver around a skilled warrior with a lightsaber.

* * *

Winter carefully proceeded down the darkened hallways as she peered intently through the shadows to see if anyone was blocking her path. It was then that she heard the slight intake of air. Her body completely froze as her eyes scanned for the source of the breath. It wasn't until she reached the next corner that she saw the two men dressed in black and crimson armor. She had never seen body armor of the sort they were wearing, and that alone made her more cautious as she silently moved back against the cool wall.

Her mind didn't race, in fact she had never lost control of her thoughts. Not once had Winter become distracted, and this time was no exception. _There are two of them, if I'm careful I can take both of them out without them getting a chance to pull anything. Just turn around the corner, fire twice, and move on to the Control Center_. She carefully removed the steel band around her wrist and usedthe reflectionto see the two men still standing in the hallway. _Okay, the neck is fairly exposed, that ought to take them down._ She clipped the band back around her wrist without making a sound, and drew her blaster.

* * *

Gold clashed with crimson as their blades met repeatedly, sending showers of sparks across the hallway. Leia was carefully heading back down the hallway that would lead to the antechamber below the Senate Arena. Without warning the being Leia surmised had to be a Sith Lord lunged at her. Leia parried once more, but stopped herself from giving into the frustration of having her plan abruptly halted by being cut off. Without hesitating Leia sent a sudden wave of what was meant to merely knock the other off the ground, but she was shocked to see the wave of violet light shoot forth in a spiral, throwing the Sith backwards with greater force than Leia had believed possible.

Not waiting to see the results she raced down the hallway, and used the force to open the doors of the elevator. Once inside the shaft she leapt up to another ledge, and doing so she slowly made her way to one of the upper levels of the gargantuan structure. With another nudge of her hand the doors opened once more, and she found herself standing in another hallway, identical to the one she had just left. She cautiously moved along the soft red and pale gray walls using the force to try and see any beings that might be near, but she was finding the force becoming even more shrouded in darkness.

A loud crackling noise behind her caused her to spin around, and she watched in horror as the doors of the elevator shaft opened once more to reveal a woman with glowing red eyes, and pure white skin floating in midair. The black cloak fluttered around her, as did her long black hair. Blue streaks of lightning flew uncontrollably throughout the shaft as she forcefully landed on the ground. The lightning still echoed, as it seemed to follow her towards the President of the New Republic.

* * *

"Open fire! I want those Star Destroyers wiped out immediately!"

"Admiral, we have an incoming transmission from the Millenium Falcon."

"Send it through immediately."

Moments later she heard Han's voice come out over the com-link she now held in her hand.

"Santé… Leia is still in the Senate Arena, I can't explain how, I just know. I need to get there, but I'll never get past all these TIE Fighters, not to mention the Star Destroyers without a gunner."

"Don't worry, Han, I'll send a few fighters to escort you, they'll fall in behind you. We already have your coordinates."

"Why doesn't that surprise me? Be safe, Santé, and don't do anything I would do."

"May the Force be with you, Han."

"Yeah, right back at you. Now let's put an end to this madness."

"Agreed. Santé out." She shut off the com-link, and immediately returned her attention to the battle taking place outside the large viewport of the bridge. Lasers and missiles flew in all directions as tiny explosions of fighters decimating them and sending debris crashing into the steel buildings far below. Her eyes watched as one of the remaining Star Destroyer's hull began to buckle in on itself, and smiled grimly as the thick base of the towering bridge broke free in a large explosion. The massive ship immediately lost control, its engines now sending it away from the planet into the battle still raging above.

"Bravo Leader, you need to escort the Millenium Falcon to the Senate Arena. Consider this top priority. The President is still within the building, do whatever you must to ensure she is safely extricated and in safe hands before coming back to help finish this up.

* * *

"Sir, what should we do? We'll never get around The Vanquisher in tact."

"Silence, you fool! I have direct orders, and I will _not_ break them. Now return to your station, or I will have you shot!" The older man snarled menacingly at the young private. They both watched as the four missiles rapidly burst through the steel at the point where the upper levels of the Star Destroyer met the thick bulk of the body. No one had a chance to do anything as their world suddenly began to spin, and they merely caught brief glimpses of the body of the massive ship slowly climbing out of the atmosphere. Seconds later the top of the destroyer harmlessly rammed into an empty landing platform sending out waves of flames.

* * *

Luke shot up from his seat with such suddenness that she couldn't help but jump. Her dark, red hair fell loosely along her back, and she immediately turned to face her husband. "Luke, what's wrong? What did you sense?"

"I felt a surge of light, and it was followed by a dark veil. Then there were two glowing, red eyes. Leia is in danger. I'm afraid that there may be a new Sith Lord."

"If there is, then there must be an apprentice as well."

"Then this is even worse than I realized…"

"What else is there Luke? What aren't you telling me?"

"I'm sorry, Mara, it's just that, I saw, well, I saw Leia fighting someone in a black cloak within the Senate Arena. She- she did something I've never seen a Jedi do before."

"What did she do?"

"She was going to use the force to push the Sith, but instead she shot out a strange purple light. It moved in a spiral, and when it hit the cloaked figure it sent them hurtling at least thirty feet. Tell me, do you feel anything strange?"

"Wh-what do you mean, strange?"

"Strange in the Force. Is there a shadow that is stopping you from sensing anything, or do you feel stronger, or weaker… _anything_ strange at all?"

Mara Jade was renown for her ability to sense things through the force, and Luke had only met a few Jedi who could meditate as deeply as she often would. And now, he could see the intensity of her face as she closed her eyes tightly, and began to meditate.

Half an hour later she allowed herself to open her eyes. Luke wasn't ready for the surprise that was clearly written in her green eyes. "What did you see?"

"I saw chaos. A light was growing stronger, yet, at the same time the darkness grew more powerful as well. Then I saw a small amulet. It was little more than a piece of wood with some indistinct markings on it, but, well, I sensed love surrounding it. But there's more." She paused, unsure of how to finish, but just looking at Luke brought her back to her senses, "It is not Palpatine that you sensed, Luke. I know his presence in the force, and I know that the darkness was not from him. It must be Vader."

"Mara, something terrible is going to happen, and I'm afraid that we'll have no power to stop it."

* * *

The Millenium Falcon soared between skyscrapers, making the most direct beeline possible for the Senate Arena. Han noticed when Rilys and another member of Bravo Squadron had pulled up behind him, but he hadn't bothered to give them any more than a perfunctory greeting. He bit his lip as he pushed even harder on the throttle, praying that the ship that had saved him so many times would not let him down now.

* * *

Winter spun around the corner and fired twice. The two armored men immediately fell to the ground, and she raced past them. After another few minutes she successfully entered the Control Center, and immediately began working to reboot the power systems that had shut off. _These systems should still be up and running, those men must've shut them off…_ It was then that she noticed the hand jutting out from behind a large computer console. She instantly held her blaster out, ready to fire if needed. When she turned the corner she could see the man had been stabbed with what appeared to be a lightsaber. She cautiously withdrew the handle and was disturbed to see the short crimson blade. _So it is a lightsaber, it's just about a fifth the length of a normal blade. I wonder if there have been any other daggers like these?_ She gracefully turned the weapon off, and latched it to her belt before moving to the main console.

* * *

"R2-D2! Just where do you think you're going?" His question was met only with a group of terse beeps and whirs, to which he could only muster, "What do you mean Mistress Leia needs our help? If she needed help she would ask for it! Besides, what if she shows up, and we're not here? She'd either wait for us, or leave us behind, and either way she, or us could get harmed if one of those Star Destroyers makes it past Admiral Carresan."

C-3PO waited for a moment after the more derisive and curt replies from the smaller droid as it continued to roll towards the exit of the hangar they were in.

"I have a feeling something very bad is going to happen… Artoo, wait up!"

* * *

Leia swung her lightsaber rapidly to deflect the rain of blows coming from her opponent. She had never before faced such an aggressive adversary, but somehow she felt more exhilarated than ever before. It was as if she could feel the force flowing through her thicker and faster than ever before, and she waved the door behind her open without effort as they continued to fight along the corridor.

"What are you?"

"I, M'Lady, am your destruction." A low, feminine voice hissed as Leia studied the sharp pointed features of the creature's white face. Her dark red eyes glowed as if they were on fire, and their blades continued to clash fiercely as their strikes grew even more rapid and fierce.

"Admiral, the Millenium Falcon and Bravo Leader are just entering Sector One now. They're clear of the TIE Fighters, and we have word from the rest of Bravo Squadron. They're on their way back from their patrol now."

"Good, keep me updated. Now, how about those Star Destroyers?"

"There are only two that remain, but there are an awful lot of enemy fighters."

"Admiral, we just received a transmission from one of the spaceports nearby, they're sending out all the ships they have that are armed and ready to go, so we'll have some more fighters and a few freighters to help."

"Good, send them a message telling them to help out with the TIE Fighters, and to be careful we don't need a lot of civilian casualties on our hands."

"Right away Admiral."

* * *

Han quickly pulled the Falcon to a stop, and turned the ship around so that they could make a faster escape if necessary from the hangar. Seconds after he had landed he was already down the landing ramp and had his blaster in hand while charging down the hangar bay. He heard the X-Wing fly in behind him, and only stopped when he heard a loud grating of steel on steel. The ship hadn't stopped skidding when the pilot leapt out of the cockpit and rolled to the ground. He watched the man wearing a specialized black jumpsuit with another black tunic that had been the standard issue for Alderaanian pilots.

"What are you waiting for Han? I'd have caught up to you anyway!"

Han smiled grimly before he turned and started off again, "Just because you're ten years younger! And you know you shouldn't disrespect your superiors, I am an Admiral after all!"

"Yeah, well, let's find the lovely woman you somehow seduced, and get out of here!"

True to his word the Alderaanian pilot had easily caught up to Han, and within moments they were racing through the dimly lit halls of the Senate Arena.

"Elevators are offline, Han."

"Damn, well, Rilys, you got any ideas of how to find Leia?"

They stopped when they both heard a quiet familiar beeping sound. "That sounds like anArtoo unit… Leia would haveThreepio andArtoo here, and they probably wouldn't be too far from her."

* * *

Winter cautiously sat at the main console. Her hands moved skillfully across the rows of levels and buttons, and within moments she could hear the familiar hum as power surged through the rest of the consoles once more. She glanced at the translucent hologram screen that appeared before her. In a matter of minutes the room was once more bathed in the gentle white light that illuminated everything clearly. It was then that she felt the presence behind her, and she instantly shot her left arm up as a rope was brought around her neck.

Whoever was attempting to strangle her had clearly not expected her to have quick enough reactions to completely slip her arm between the rope and her slender neck. Her long, silvery white hair whirled around her shoulder as she jumped up, ramming her heel into the foot of her attacker. She then rammed her elbow backwards, where it connected with solid body armor.

Knowing it would take more than that to defeat her opponent she jumped so both her boots landed solidly on the main console before doing a back flip over the armored man's head. Without hesitating she pulled the dagger she had found free and inserted its red blade into the being's neck.

* * *

Leia smiled as the lights in the hallway began to flicker on one after another, illuminating the now bright corridors. The smile faltered when she saw four men dressed in black and crimson body armor blocking her path behind her. She couldn't hide the surprise as they pulled out their own lightsabers, and she was even more surprised to see the blades weren't even half the length of a her own shimmering blade.

Knowing she was outnumbered and cornered she once more used the force to send the strange guards flying backwards as the hallway was cast into a deep purple light. Her mind then focused on the sealed door behind her and with little effort opened the door. Moments later she had back out into one of the delegation pods. She held her blade steady waiting for the next assault from the mysterious Sith.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, but I won't be posting another chapter until I get some reviews...


	3. Even Stars Burn Out

**A Lost Legacy**

Chapter 3: Even Stars Burn Out

Rilys could see that there would be no stopping Han when it came to finding the first person he had ever allowed himself to love. They continued to search for R2-D2 and C-3PO in the lavishly decorated entry halls of the Senate Arena. They moved carefully past the towering columns that glimmered from the great chandeliers overhead.

Their feet left only slight imprints on the slightly frayed, crimson carpet. Due to the protocol droid's unceasing pleads to go back to the ship they had made relatively little progress, and it wasn't long before they two men had found them.

"Oh, Master Solo, thank goodness you've arrived! We've been unable to locate Mistress Leia."

"What about Winter?"

"Artoo's scanners aren't picking up on anything-" The gold plated droid turned slightly when the smaller droid began to beep frantically. "Sir, it appears that Artoo has detected some sort of- unusual energy within the Senate Arena. It could be the reason why he cannot detect Mistress Leia, and he also discovered that Winter used her access card to restore full power throughout the building."

"Alright, Rilys, you're going to go find Winter; Goldenrod, you get back to the Falcon and make sure she's ready for takeoff when we get back. Artoo, we're going to the Arena.

Leia leapt upwards onto a different delegation pod, using the force to propel her. She hadn't even turned around when she felt another pod being thrown towards her. Before Leia had even turned around she had gripped the pod with the force, and sent it flying back towards her adversary.

Her surprise was clearly evident as she watched the Sith merely watch the object fly towards herself. Leia's eyes grew wider when the other disappeared in a slightly transparent black cloud and the pod flew harmlessly threw it. Seconds later the mysterious being was once more standing there, smiling malevolently at her before she leapt into the air.

"Winter! It's about time I found you!"

"Rilys, what are you doing here, you should be taking down those Star Destroyers!"

"Hey, High Admiral Carresan's orders. We're here to get you and Leia out before something really bad happens."

"Well, I don't plan on delaying this further, but we need to use caution, I've had the pleasure of running into several mysterious armored men. They only carry these." She finished pulling out the strange dagger and igniting its short, blood red blade.

"I was bidden to extend an offer. You shall be greatly rewarded should you join the darkness. And I warn thee, death comes on swift wings to those who deny the Dark Lord!"

"You will never turn me. I am a Jedi."

"Being a Jedi will not save you from the darkness! Given time even the stars will burn out and die. The light merely casts shadows, there has always been darkness, and soon the light will fade away, forever."

"Nothing can destroy hope, nor love. That is all that is needed for the light to remain."

The black cloud surrounded the mysterious creature once more, and Leia watched intently when it disappeared once more, revealing Anakin. Leia's heart nearly broke at the sight of the son she had lost, but as she reached out into the force to feel him she could only feel darkness and despair. It was not her son standing before her; she could once more feel him distantly through the veils of darkness that were beginning to cloud her vision. The love they still shared through his death was still there, and a new resolve grew within her to defend that connection with her lost child.

"How dare you take the form of an innocent child!" Leia reached through the force, and with all her might tried to send the falling shadow away with the force.

"Hey, Artoo, can you get past the security lockdown on the doors heading in the Arena from here?" Han was greeted with a short whistle of affirmation, "Good, once it's open, then you start heading back towards the ship, got it?" He steeled himself for whatever he would see on the other side of the closed steel door.

Han stared transfixed at the sight of his wife and their son standing on opposing sides beneath the massive dome. Yet, even as he looked towards Anakin, he knew something was wrong, he could feel in his heart that while whatever it was standing on the delegation pod looked like his son it wasn't. He could feel the pain of losing his child still, and he _knew_ that Anakin was no longer alive. His eyes went wide when he saw Leia thrust her hands in front of her and two massive, translucent hands swept beneath the dome ramming into whatever it was that was pretending to be their son.

When the brilliant blue light rammed into her she screamed in confusion and pure fury. She once more transformed into a black cloud before once more transforming the midi-chlorians around her back into the shape of her normal self.

"Leia!"

She immediately turned to see her husband standing in one of the thousands of delegation pods, and the feel of his love for her through the force immediately calmed the turmoil her mind and soul.

"If you will not turn, then you will die!" Both their attention was once more directed back towards the mysterious demon who had hissed the words in pure hatred.

"You will not kill me!" Leia answered, and raising her hands above her head several delegation pods were torn free from there docking platforms on the walls, and were spent spiraling with amazing speed towards the creature who only screamed in malice as they barreled into her at the same time. Leia wasted no time leaping across the pods until she reached her husband.

"Admiral, the final Star Destroyer is going down, but they're heading on a crash course for the Arena!"

Santé Carresan watched hopelessly as the final Star Destroyer moved ever closer to the gargantuan dome of the Senate, knowing there was absolutely nothing she could do to stop it from plunging deep into the heart of the building.

"We can do no more, bring us back out of the stratosphere, there is still a battle to be fought."

"Admiral, reports say that the planetary shields should be up in twenty minutes."

"It's about time, now let's destroy the rest of the Imperial Fleet and put an end to this assault now. I want a full status report now!"

Han quickly kissed Leia, before racing back out of the delegation pod, and they both turned back just in time to see the flaming prow of a star destroyer burst through the dome, sending massive shards of glass and steel plummeting to the ground far below.

"This can't be good-" Han whispered as they stared in horror as the Star Destroyer continued to crash towards them crushing hundreds upon hundreds of delegation pods. Flames and sparks shot everywhere as they stood transfixed by the horrific sight. It was a few more seconds before they took off running as the colossal ship continued to crash towards them.

They were running hard as the walls buckled behind them, and the floor started to collapse as it was pushed aside effortlessly by the hull of the star destroyer. The clatter of the feet on the polished floors was lost to the thundering clash of metal and steel mixed with numerous explosions. They watched as the blast doors at the end of the corridor slid shut. Leia immediately reached out with the force and the door slid back open as they raced into yet another hallway.

Rilys stopped at the main entry of the hangar bay, and after punching in several keys the door slid open revealing one of the many entry halls of the Arena. The great columns towered high into the air. Winter joined him and both were surprised to see the astromech droid rolling towards them.

Han grabbed Leia by the wrist as they raced along the varying halls. They reached along long stairwell that lead back to the entry hall. Seconds after they reached the base of the stairs the wall behind them burst outwards, and they were running as fast as they could to stay ahead of the harbinger of destruction that was still crashing towards them as the building started to collapse. Moments later they were surrounded by the ornate columns, and white robes fluttered she ran as fast as she could.

It wasn't long before the first of the columns lurched forward, plowing into the next in the long rows. Neither dared to stop, knowing all to well that the building was collapsing in on itself as the Star Destroyer continued its wave of mass destruction. Before Leia even had the chance to open the large blast doors at the end of the entry hall slid open.

"Run!" was all Han could think to yell as Rilys and Winter stared at the columns behind Han and Leia crashed into the next row. They were running as fast as the could towards their waiting ships. Rilys reached his fighter first, hastily getting the cockpit shut, and just before he took off he caught a whirl of white robes as Leia hurried up the ramp to the Millenium Falcon followed closely by the flash of black from Winter's Alderaanian uniform. In seconds his X-Wing was flying rapidly towards the end of the hangar.

"Come on baby, don't let me down now…" Han whispered as he punched several more buttons on the control panel in the cockpit. He sighed with relief when the ship lunged forward, and they too were trying to escape the massive wave of destruction that was still following them.

Leia sat next to him and watched the skyscrapers as they soared out of the hangar and out into the open air.

"M'Lady, is there anything you require?"

"No, Winter, thank you." She smiled slightly and turned back to stare out of the cockpit once more. Winter nodded and gracefully headed back down into the living quarters.

"Leia, are you alright?"

"I don't know."

Han looked at her, his eyes full of concern as he noticed a cut near her ear. "What was- that thing in there?"

"Something that I've never seen before. We have to find Luke. I- something terrible is about to happen. Everything is growing dark, and it seems like a shroud is beginning to cover the Force."

"I've seen a lot over the years, Leia. But nothing like what I saw in there today."

"I did nothing different. The Force- it seemed to react more… potently. Something is going to happen, Han, I fear it won't be good."

"No matter what, I will always love you."

"I love you as well." Leia answered, finally tearing her gaze away from the skyscrapers that surrounded them. She looked at him, and smiled warmly before wrapping her slender arms around him.

"Santé, we successfully located President Solo, and she is safely onboard the Millenium Falcon."

"Good, the battle is essentially over, I will contact them myself. Stay alert, there may still be Imperial fighters down there. You're to escort them until you hear from me, understood?"

"Roger that, Santé, Bravo Leader out." He sat back in his seat and guided his fighter so that he could keep a close eye on the Falcon.

Suddenly he felt his entire fighter begin to rock violently. "Han, watch out, we've got company!" Rilys yelled, just as he pulled up and rolled a few times to get the enemy ship off his tail. He watched as two TIE fighters soared past him and chased after the Millenium Falcon. His gloved fingers gripped the trigger, and he fired several blasts at the fighters.

"Alright, Rilys, we're going to make a break for the Vanquisher. You ok back there?"

"I'm holding out. Not much space to maneuver down here though. You lead the way, and I'll be right behind you."

"Alright, hang on, this could get a bit rough…" Han yelled as he pulled back hard on the controls causing the Millenium Falcon to move upwards abruptly temporarily throwing Leia off balance before she regained her composure, and readjusted the shields.

"The main fleet isn't far away. I'll start transferring some of the energy from the shields to the thrusters. We ought to be able to outrun them." Leia's voice once more carried the powerful determination and resolve and Han gave her a grin as he brought the freighter into another spin.

"Han, watch out, there are more fighters moving ahead to cut us off!"

"What in the hell is that?" Leia immediately saw the strange looking ship flying towards them that Han had briefly indicated. His voice was cautious, and Leia thought she recognized the ship from one of the databases they had recovered from the ruins of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant years ago.

"Han, we have to get out of here and fast. I- I can feel it."

"Feel what?"

"Complete darkness. That- thing, that I was fighting in the Arena, it's on that ship."

"Then we're going to want to get out of here, and fast." Han gritted his teeth as he thrust the lever forward, causing the Millenium Falcon to lurch forward into something of a nosedive. They barreled past a rebel transport, going as fast as the freighter could handle. "We're going to make a break for it. Rilys, have your Artoo unit link to the Falcon's NAV computer. We're going to make a jump into lightspeed as soon as we're out of the stratosphere."

"Where are we going?"

"I think we should head for Yavin IV. I- I can barely sense Luke through the Force… and we must alert the Jedi to this new threat." Leia answered, her mind still replaying the events again and again as she kept herself calm.

"Connection established, let's get the hell out of here, guys." Came the confident reply over the comlink. Han waited just until Rilys had cleared the stratosphere before he punched another button, and in seconds the shimmering stars and planets became a large blur of white streaks. He sat back with something of a triumphant grin on his face when he turned to look at Leia.

Han couldn't remember ever meeting anyone as beautiful as the woman sitting beside him. Her long brown hair fell gracefully past her shoulders, deep brown eyes still finding wonder at the sight of the elongated stars. Deep, crimson lips curving into her own, unique smile.

"I love you." Leia turned to look at him, and his heart melted when she gently intertwined their fingers.

"I know, Nerf-herder." Han couldn't help but grin widely at her, and he gently pulled her into a warm embrace.

"Admiral, Bravo leader sent a transmission before they went into lightspeed. It appears that they are heading for Yavin IV to inform Master Skywalker, and the other Jedi of the attack."

"Alright, are planetary shields fully functional?"

"Yes, Admiral, shields are fully operational once more."

"Good, I want the remaining Imperial ships either destroyed or captured."

"I'm going to go change, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Alright, your Highness." Han smiled as he turned to look back out of the cockpit. His smile vanished minutes later when the ship crashed out of lightspeed sending him forward in his seat. As if on cue Leia appeared behind him, wearing a soft yellow dress. The gold embroidery gracefully seemed to melt into the fabric. It had been a long time since Han had seen her wear a dress that was meant to catch people's eyes and wasn't as formal as the gowns she would wear to the Senate. "Wow- you look- wow."

Leia smiled softly at him before examining the blank screen where the only ship was their own and Rilys' fighter. "That's rather sweet, but it doesn't mean anything if you can't explain why we came out of lightspeed."

"I don't know- wait, what's that?" Han pointed off through the viewport towards a small ship flying towards them.

"I can't sense any life-forms on that ship." Leia spoke softly. They watched, as it grew closer. Suddenly the entire ship rocked. "That shot came from whatever that ship is."

"Then it's going down." Han let his cocky grin show as he fired three concussion missiles at the strange ship. The grin changed into a triumphant smile when they watched it explode. Seconds later however, the smile vanished when the sight of four Super Star Destroyers suddenly filled the entire view of the cockpit. "What the hell! Where did those come from?"

"Uh, guys, I think we've got a problem…" They could hear the confusion and shock in Rilys' voice. "We can't exactly just outrun these ships- they've already got us in their tractor beams."

Han's attention slowly went from the four massive ships heading their way towards Leia. Her hand was stretched out, and her eyes were closed. It wasn't until he saw the nearest hangar bay doors on one of the ships slam shut on a single TIE Fighter that had been taking off. He thought he could see the other hangar doors sliding shut.

When his eyes looked back down to the various readings he noticed that the hold on both ships was growing considerably weaker. Suddenly Leia was thrust back against her seat, and he could've sworn he could see strange black mist around her neck, and wrists. He couldn't help but be surprised when the same thing happened to him. Somewhere from the main hold he could hear several beeps and frantic whirs before Threepio worried called out that something was wrong.

In a matter of minutes they were all standing on one of many flight decks. There were at least thirty storm troopers surrounding them. Leia could sense the unease and fear in the others, including Winter though she hid it so well. Threepio and Artoo were immediately deactivated and carried off out of their view.

"Take them to their designated cells on detention block AA-28, level 2. Our Master demands that President Solo be brought to him immediately."

Han cast a fearful look at Leia. She looked back at him, and gave him a soft smile. "It will be ok Han. I love you." She whispered so only they could hear.

"I know." Leia smiled a bit more. She gently leaned back and gave him a tender kiss before they were pulled apart. Their eyes met one final time before they lost sight of each other. Her long hair fell freely behind her back, and she briefly wished she was still in the more formal gown she had shed in an attempt to help Han find comfort.

The lift quickly sped upwards. She could sense only darkness emanating from the level they were approaching. With a soft hiss the door slid open, and she was greeted by a pitch-black room. Then she heard the breathing. There was no mistaking the mechanical breaths that could instill fear in anyone in the galaxy.

"Leave us." Leia caught a brief glimpse of the storm troopers quickly retreating into the elevator. Mere seconds later she was once more ensconced in the darkness.

All he could see in the room was darkness. But in the Force he could feel the light that had entered the room, and he wanted nothing more than to destroy it. With a flick of his wrist the room was dimly illuminated.

He saw her.

He felt something inside of him stir. Somehow he recognized the woman standing before him. And in his mind he could see _her_. Not the woman standing before him, but another, who looked so similar. A woman with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, a woman who could make his heart melt with a single smile. The woman standing before him was replaced in his mind with another woman, from a distant memory. She stood there, wearing a soft yellow dress that faded slowly to purple then a deep blue. He could remember his hands caressing her soft cheeks, his fingers intertwining with the long strands of silken hair.

Inside him he could feel something foreign, something he didn't know what to call. All he knew was that he wanted no more than to see the woman in his vision once more.

To Be Continued…

Notes: It'll most likely be quite some time before I update this story again, but with enough reviews I could be persuaded to get more interested in writing more chapters for it. Sorry about that fact that I couldn't add any of the rulers to separate the parts where it changes from one scene to another. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter.


End file.
